The Utah legislature has multiple bills this year that could directly
impact the city of Cottonwood Heights. The Cottonwood Heights mayor, city
council and staff are closely watching some of those bills in anticipation.

On Jan. 20, the city council members attended a legislative breakfast
with some of the local elected legislative representatives to discuss some issues
that could face the city with this current legislature session. The breakfast
was held at Market Street Grill.

On Feb. 7, Cottonwood Heights Lobbyist Brian Allen updated
the council about happenings on the hill.

“There are a record number of bills and a few new faces this year,” said
Allen. “There will be over 1,700 bills. Some of the representatives have more
than 25 bills, and there’s still time to open files.”

Despite the record number of bills in session, Allen
said only between three and four hundred will pass.

“The good news is that everyone is communicating,” Allen said. “We are
pretty optimistic about where things are at.”

One of the bills the Cottonwood Heights City Council
is concerned about is a short-term rental bill H.B. 253.

“They are working through some definitions,” Allen
said.

The bill, Short-Term Rental Amendments, is sponsored by Rep. John
Knotwell. The bill prevents a political
subdivision, such as a city or county, from prohibiting a person from listing
or offering a short-term rental on a short-term rental website such as Airbnb.
Cities and other municipalities are concerned over zoning and business license
issues in association with short-term rentals.

“There is an issue with 180 days
to justify being in a home-owner occupy zone. How do you enforce something like
that?” Mayor Kelvyn Cullimore said.

Cullimore knew they needed to take advantage of that
opportunity quickly.

“The less likely it is we will have time to get something done if we
keep talking about talking to him,” he said. “We need to find out where his
guard rails are.”

Allen said they are trying to figure out what Knotwell is trying to
accomplish with the bill. Once that is figured out, they can work with him to
minimize some of his concerns.

Cullimore said when Cottonwood Heights became a city, it
had a large amount of short-term rentals.

“We have a good ordinance. Even the people promoting this bill have
said we have a good ordinance. We are being punished as good actors by the bad
actors,” Cullimore said. “We need to have this customized so that it can be
something that accomplishes their goal, but in a way that represents local government
and control.”

Allen discussed some of Rep. Norman Thurnstone’s bills as well,
including H.B. 298, which
would require a political subdivision to pass an ordinance to impose a
generally applicable time, place or manner restriction on free expression and
would prohibit a political subdivision from prohibiting political activities
outside of a public building.

“No one has a policy on protesting,” Allen said.

Allen briefly mentioned S.B. 142 and S.B. 139, which
would eliminate schools from redevelopment agencies and limit tax increments
from schools. Both bills are floor sponsored by Rep. Steve Eliason.

Councilman Mike Peterson asked about the medical
marijuana bill and funding for research on medical marijuana.

“It would fund $1 million worth of research, studying three kinds of
applications in cancer and pain. There would be three real clinical trials to
determine if it can be helpful,” Cullimore said. “The bill funds the study. I
think it has a very good chance of passage.”

Allen said in general, the legislature has been
generous and kind and are willing to adjust the language of bills.